2012-01-28

Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Summary: "Summer 1900. Fearing to be wanted by the Italian police for a political murder he did not commit, Edoardo Masi returns to the US, which he had to leave in 1898. Will his love still be waiting for him? Why did she disappear?"

Don't miss it because...

Anarchward is such a passionate lover! His story is well written, extremely well researched, and with a captivating plot. I have to warn you: you'll be eager for more...1900 is entering the Age of Edward contest.

2012-01-25

Summary: After the Cullens leave Forks, a twist of fate lands Bella in Chicago in 1918. She thinks it's a second chance to build a life with Edward, but when she finds him, he's not quite what she expected. Can Bella create the future she's hoping for?

Don't miss it because:

This story begins six months after The Cullens leave Forks. Bella is spending time with Jacob in La Push. She’s not exactly the same Bella than in the books:

I'm not an idiot. I knew he was lying. He does… did… love me and left because of some twisted obligation to protect me.

It broke my heart.

It pissed me off.

And it didn't really matter. Why he left didn't matter, because he was gone – they all were. I didn't know where they were. I couldn't find them if I wanted to.

And I wanted to… a lot.

The Quileutes are going to perform a ritual called The Spirit Walk. Each person experiences a kind of vision in a different way. The shaman has an interesting conversation with Bella. He tells her he saw her in his vision. He tells her he knows that she’s looking for someone and that there’s a way to find what she’s looking for. She asks him what she needs to do and she finds herself going through the ritual. She faints and when she wakes up, she doesn’t know where she is.

She is found in the street by a nice gentleman called Tom who helps her by escorting her into the guesthouse where he’s living. This guesthouse is Mrs. Oleson’s, Maggie, as she wants to be called. At first, Bella thinks she’s hallucinating. But she realizes soon enough that she’s actually in Chicago, in 1918. Edward’s time. She faints when she learns this so Tom takes her to the hospital.

Carlisle is working at that hospital. Bella tells him right away that she knows what he is and that she won’t betray him. After realizing she’s really living in Chicago and that apparently she’s not going anywhere, she concocts a plan. She wants to find a job and to find Edward. She gets a job at Carlisle’s hospital and eventually she ends up working for him. Carlisle and Bella get close and their relationship is very interesting.

Bella looks for Edward’s address in the directory and she finds him:

He was digging in the ground and hadn't heard my approach, so I took a moment to admire the sight of him – so long denied me. The shovel scraped against a stubborn stump and he wrestled to get it out of the ground. A glistening drop of sweat trickled down his neck and a shiver passed through my body.

I may have made a sound – or maybe not – because he turned to me then, examining me with curious eyes, his lips quirking in an uncertain smile.

And with a trembling hand I opened the gate, taking the first tentative steps toward my destiny.

They begin to talk and Bella realizes really soon that he’s not exactly the Edward she knew:

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you," he said, apparently confused at my reaction. "It's only natural for a woman in your position to look for a husband – and I was just saying you've chosen a good place to do it."

You've got to be kidding me.

"You make it sound like I'm a predator on the hunt!" I exclaimed.

He shrugged. "I'm sure it must feel like that sometimes," he said sympathetically. "And I know many men would look unfavorably upon your circumstances, so that's got to make it even more difficult. But don't worry, I'm sure in time you'll snare a husband."

I turned to him, my hands on my hips. "Snare… snare…?" I repeated. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

It didn't really work.

"Look buddy," I began in a low voice, and his eyes widened. "I work at the hospital because I needed a job and I wanted to do something I enjoy. I support myself. I pay my own bills and I don't need a man to do it."

"I don't understand what you're so upset about," he said, mystified. "I'm just trying to be sympathetic of your predicament."

"Are you for real…? Sympathetic…?" I sputtered. "I don't even know what to say to that!" I paced back and forth, muttering under my breath. "Predicament?" I questioned. "Predicament?" I repeated, my voice growing louder.

"I am not in a 'predicament', Edward," I spat. "I don't know where you get these outdated ideas about women in the workplace, but they're ridiculous! I'm not looking for a husband at the hospital. I'm not looking for a husband, period!"

At the beginning, their conversations end up always more or less like this. They bicker a lot. They’re quite entertaining actually. But don’t worry because the Edward we all know and love is there. He’s attracted to Bella but at first he can’t figure it out. She just has thrown him for a loop with all her modern ideas. They became friends and their relationship begins to develop. They have the chance they didn’t have in the “present”: They can develop a totally normal relationship.

"And despite the fact I'd like to continue doing that for hours," he continued, "you need to get to work. And you don't need someone seeing you being compromised in an alley." I worried that Edward was feeling guilty again, but his face was relaxed and he smiled lazily.

Apparently things had changed a bit in the past week.

Not that I was complaining.

But Bella knows their time could be coming to end. She knows when the Spanish influenza is going to hit Chicago. She’s determined to save Edward but she really doesn’t know if she will be able to do it. Is she going to be dragged back to her days? Will she be able to save him from the influenza? But what happens if she saves him and he doesn’t become a vampire? What will happen in the future/her real present?

I can’t put into a little summary all the amazing things this story has. It has great new characters like Maggie, Tom and Samantha. Edward’s and Bella’s relationship is fantastic. The author has developed it incredibly well. Bella’s inner monologue is pretty funny and witty. There’s also the question about the past-present. You don’t know how things are going to end until the last moment and you will be biting your nails until you find out! TKegl is an amazing author. I’ve read some of her other fics and they’re fantastic too. There’s a lot more to this story than what can be said in these few words so just give it a try. You won’t regret it!

Catti-brie Potter

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Thank you, Catti-brie!

If you read this fic, please don't forget to tell the author that "My Reading Lounge sent you" and say "Ciao!" from me! Thanks!

2012-01-21

Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The story is due to be updated every Friday

This chapter's suggestion is

Novecento, by Alessandro Baricco

It is the tale of an extraordinary pianist who was born and lived on board of a ship, the Virginian. Music is his whole life, and he's incapable of getting off and facing life on land. The story was made into The Legend of 1900, a 1998 movie.

Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Death will come with your eyes—
this death that accompanies us
from morning till night, sleepless,
deaf, like an old regret
or a stupid vice. Your eyes
will be a useless word,
a muted cry, a silence.
As you see them each morning
when alone you lean over
the mirror. O cherished hope,
that day we too shall know
that you are life and nothing.

For everyone death has a look.
Death will come with your eyes.
It will be like terminating a vice,
as seen in the mirror
a dead face re-emerging,
like listening to closed lips.
We'll go down the abyss in silence.

2012-01-06

Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

She updates her stories very often. I wondered how could she write so much, with such a high quality, in so little time. Here's the answer...

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Everything You Shouldn’t Do And Why it Works for Me

By Lissa Bryan

Ever since I was a child, I’ve taken novels and “re-written” them in my head, sending the characters on fantastic journeys, or simply writing the ending it should have had. It was only recently that I discovered that other people do this too, and it’s called “fan fiction” and not only that, there are huge online communities devoted to it. Once I discovered the community, I decided to let some of my characters out of my head to play.

I joined FFN in the first week of October 2011, and as I write this on the day after Christmas, 2011, I have two completed novel-length stories and three in the works. I frequently am asked if I’ve pre-written the stories and the answer is no, if you don’t count the “writing” that’s been done in my head. Usually the story has been re-written several times in my mind and I’ll return to old favorites and perhaps even re-write the plot with new characters. Ultimately, there has been a lot of “work” done on my tales before I ever sit down in front of a keyboard.

Essentially, I just have to type the story, so it’s not all that difficult for me to produce between four thousand and five thousand words per day. The difficulty is in deciding where to place chapter dividers so that the flow stays natural, since I never divide the story that way in my head.

From the advice columns I’ve read, it appears that I do pretty much everything that new authors are cautioned not to do.

I don’t have a chapter outline. It means that I have no idea how long the story will be; I can only estimate, based on plot, how much of the story has already been completed. I may have a general idea of the things I want to happen in a chapter, but sometimes they have to get bumped to the next one when I realize I have too much material to get through before those events can occur.

I don’t have a beta. I do my own editing (and it shows.) My reasons for this are that, firstly, I don’t know very many people in the fandom. I’d have to be familiar with a potential beta’s writing style to know how well they do with language and grammar and such (it’s not helpful to have an inarticulate person who doesn’t recognize an incorrect word usage), and then know them as friends to see how well we would be able to work together.

Secondly, it would slow me down. I’d have to rely on another person, work around their schedule, and wait for them to return the chapter. And lastly, I’d have to stop and explain why certain things have happened in the story line and how they’ll fit into the big picture later.

So far, it’s worked for me. There are always things I’ll miss here and there that I’ll only notice on a re-read weeks later. I only ever made one major mistake and thanks to a sharp-eyed reviewer, I was able to go back and correct it early on in the story.

I’ve never shown my stories to anyone to get their input. From what I’ve read, this seems like the first step most authors take, but when it’s posted, that marks the first time anyone has ever read it besides myself.

Since I do everything wrong, you probably shouldn’t take advice from me, but I have two bits of advice from a published author with whom I used to correspond:

1) Never include anything that doesn’t directly advance the plot or reveal something important about the characters.It’s advice that I don’t always stick to myself, but I try to keep it in mind when writing.

I once read a novel, which shall remain nameless, in which there was a chapter detailing a short vacation the characters took to New York. We were introduced to two new characters, who were in conflict, and then the main characters went to Central Park and had sex under a bridge during a rainstorm. Never again were the two new characters mentioned and the trip played no role in the overall plotline. There was no reason for the entire chapter. It could have been deleted without any impact on the novel whatsoever.

I love lemons as much as the next gal, but putting one in just for the fun of it doesn’t do much for the story. We have reason to see the first time that characters are intimate because it’s a large step forward in their relationship, and their actions during intimacy can reveal important character traits. Or, we could see the characters reconnect after a long separation/conflict. Or it could be the only way one of the character can express their feelings. Whatever the reason, the scene should have a purpose.

2) Read your dialogue out loud. If you sound stupid when you say it, so will your characters.

Lastly, I would add tolisten to your reviewers. They’ll help you by pointing out areas of the story which are weak, things that might need further explanation and details you may have forgotten to include. We all like positive reviews, but reviewers aren’t just cheerleaders.

Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed my stories, and to Raum, for suggesting I write this article.

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Thank you, Lissa Bryan!

I bet this article will elicit many questions...as usual, your comments are welcome.

1. You won't sleep anymore. I've been up until 4 a. m., glued to And With Thee Fade Away's last chapters.

2. You'll risk dehydration, as I did reading A Matter of Life and Death's 7th chapter:

3. You'll need to watch your heart. I believe that making readers laugh is much more difficult than making them cry. Derdriu will make you laugh (not just smile, laugh), cry, gape, and feel a new set of feelings you would have never imagined that could even exist. Is she a magician? Is her talent legal?

4. You'll never look at canon Edward with the same eyes. After reading And With Thee Fade Away, I'm afraid that canon Edward and the other canon vampires are ruined for me. Derdriu's Edward's shades and conflicts are so, so complex and involving...

5. You'll meet an excellent writer. I pay a lot of attention to writing style. Derdriu's style is so good, elegant, brilliant, original that she could leave you speechless just rewriting the telephone guide.

Summary: "Bella is a scientist in 1942. In 2010, Edward suffers from a traumatic past. A chance event allows their paths to cross, but decisions they have not yet made threaten to tear them apart. AH."

Summary: "Forget being scared to death, Bella Swan isn't even scared of death, something that both greatly annoys and--even if he won't admit it--entices Edward Cullen. If only she weren't trying to destroy him."

2012-01-01

Since my first multichapter story, De Immortalitate (now complete!) is set in the Roman Empire, you can bet I love this contest!

The Age of Edward 2012

Chances are you remember this contest from the past two years. It has been a great success, giving authors old and new a chance to participate in a wholly unique sort of one/shot contest: writing an Edward from a particular historical era.

This year the contest will commence on January 2, 2012 and will run until February 5, 2012, at which point all entries must be submitted.
Winners will be announced March 1, 2012.
There are two categories: literotica and young adult (for those who don’t write smut and for those who do).
More info, visitwww.ageofedward.com and check out the 2012 Criteria page.
Meet the judges at:http://www.ageofedward.com/?page_id=276
Email us atageofedward2011@gmail.com
Follow Edward on Twitter – he’s always tweeting the latest concerning the contest:
@ageofedward
Good luck!